Comparison: Bajans, Jamaicans, Trinis

[Peter R]

Trinis use picong and "humour" (in many cases) to verbalise their true feelings about you and then if you react negatively say" eyy breds like yu can take a li'l pung?"

Bajans are just a half rung below Bermudians in their snobbishness (generally) towards anyone from ANY other island.

Jamaicans are the people the other islanders (generally) "love to hate" and "hate to love"

[Don1]

Very interesting article. It was more than a bit kind to Jamaics if you ask me. No matter how we spin it the reality is that as a society we have underperformed and underachieved compared to these other two islands with similar history.

I was made aware of this study by the Brookings Institute recently, a comaprison of JA vs Bdos since 1960. The statistics are sobering, devastating really if you are Jamaican.

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2009/01_institutions_henry/01_institutions_henry.pdf

Interesting analysis. Devastating fi real.

However the analysts need to look beyond mere policy differences between Jamaica & Barbados to explain the disparity in performance....that is just a technical analysis by people who don't take into account (or may not even be aware of) all important cultural issues.

The other big factor other than technical/policy is sociological/relational. Barbadians are far more egalitarian and cooperative than Jamaicans.... this can best be seen in their approach to education.
Jamaica's vast class and political divide is our key problem.

Because of the fractious and contentious nature of Jamaicans fanned by our tribal politicians and elites...even with similar policy prescriptions Jamaica will underperform Barbados.

Culture trumps policy.

[Mosiah]

i would not have gone to a good school were it not for free education. that by itself is not what got us to this point.

[Islandman]

And that is the problem with Jamaicas social experiment of the 70s. The results were just not there to show.

Errol Barrow was almost as much of a democratic socialist and anti-imperialist as Manley was, yet the results he got were quite different. Was that totally the fault of the leaders or were the followers not ready for it? Either way it failed.

[Islandman]

Don't think anyone would blame free education for our problems Mo. The implementation in the 70s was poor and not well planned but the idea is a valid one.

JAMAL was also a good idea, it was supposed to be a temporary program to make the masses literate. I wonder how much more literate we are today than in 1972?

One of the main problems of the 70s was IMPLEMENTATION. It was like every week was a new idea and policy and Manley and his inner circle spent little time thinking about how to make these ideas work.

[Muadib]

LOL !!!

As is reflected prior to 72.... and between 1985 and 1990...

Yuh nuh tyad fi chat yuh rubbish ?

[Mosiah]

the implementation of free health care by the present govt has not gone too well either!

[Muadib]

the implementation of free health care by the present govt has not gone too well either!

I doubt it will result in 40% unemployment and 25% reduction in GDP...


I am amazed that you people believe you have a leg to stand on.. must be part of the Cult training..

I mean REALLY now.. this is beyond understanding...

[Don1]

LOL !!!

As is reflected prior to 72.... and between 1985 and 1990...

Yuh nuh tyad fi chat yuh rubbish ?

yuh cyaan si beyond yuh green nose...kip yuh tribalism to yuh fellow tribalis

mi yuh inna nuh argument wid tribalis

[Muadib]

I cannot see beyond the data and the Graph..

Must be the Scientist in me...

[Mosiah]

yuh have a scientist inna yuh now?

heh heh...dat was too easy!

[Willi]

Hahahah.

I wonder if Mo the grammar police didnt spot these verbal landmines???

LoL

[Mosiah]

i did but since yuh never go good school...

[Don1]

I cannot see beyond the data and the Graph..

Must be the Scientist in me...

yuh ah scientis?

mad scientis...LoL!

[Willi]

Course not...I went to a MAGNIFICENT school. Beyond great.

Hahahaha

Good is just for unno man...kuntry skool pon di hillside and ting.